1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inflating valve assembly, more particularly to an inflating valve assembly, which is adapted to be installed at an outlet vent of an air injection apparatus and which is adapted to complement with several types of adapters such that inflatable articles with different specification air inlets are inflated via the inflating valve assembly of the present invention upon activation of the air injection apparatus.
2. The Prior Arts
An inflating valve is usually installed to an inflatable article, such as motor car tire. When it is desired to pump air into the inflatable article, an air-outlet of an air injection apparatus is attached to the inflating valve such that the article is inflated upon activation of the air injection apparatus.
A conventional inflating valve generally includes a valve stem provided at an air inlet such that when no external is applied on the valve stem, the latter blocks the air inlet hermetically owing to the sufficient pressure within the inflated article so that the pressure within the inflated article is prevented from leaking to an exterior of the inflated article. In case, an external object applies pressure onto the valve stem, the latter retracts inwardly thereof, thereby opening the air inlet. Under this condition, the air within the inflated article can escape to an exterior and alternately air can be injected into an interior of the article upon activation of the air injection apparatus.
Presently, two types of inflating valve are available in the market, namely: (1) Schrader valve assembly (generally known as American valve), (2) Presta valve assembly (generally known as French valve). The French valve includes two-step thread portions (i.e. an outer large diameter thread portion and an outer small diameter thread portion proximate to the distal end and defining a shoulder between the large and small thread portions) while a valve stem projects outwardly from the air inlet of the inflatable article. The American valve includes an externally threaded portion for mating with an air injection apparatus and a valve stem retracts inwardly into the threaded portion.
The America valve is employed in a majority of the inflatable articles when compare to the French valve. If one desires to inject or pump air into an inflatable article provided with a French valve, an adapter compatible with the French valve is required to couple to the air outlet of the air injection apparatus. Only then, air can be injected into the inflatable article via the adapter upon activation of the air injection apparatus. Of course, nowadays there are some air injection apparatuses or air pumps provided with French valves for the consumers to pick and choose. However, in case one desires to inject air into an inflatable article provided with an American valve, another adapter compatible with the American valve is required to couple with the air outlet of the air injection apparatus. Only then, air can be injected into the inflatable article via another adapter upon activation of the air injection apparatus.
As mentioned above, there are adapters with single function (i.e. compatible with French valve or American valve). There is yet another adapter, which is compatible with French valve and American valve simultaneously. Regardless of the inflatable article is provided French valve or American valve, an adapter is still required for the air injection apparatus to pump air into an inflatable article provided with inflating valves of different specifications. However, it is noted that the construction structure of French valve or American valve includes several parts and is complicated to assemble, hence leading to high manufacturing expense for the manufacturers.